Beautiful Nightmare
by RoonilFreakin'Wazlib
Summary: One-Shot! R/Hr Slight AU HBP - After a row with Hermione, Ron ends up in the hospital wing, leading to a confession from one Ronald Bilius Weasley - Fluff alert!


**A/N: Hello there, reader! This is basically a one-shot based around, what is in my opinion, the best canon-pairing going! Funnily enough, this was inspired by a roleplay I was a part of when trolling the internet - weird how things can provide such inspiration! While I'm at it, massive thanks go to my RP friend, who I know as 'BG'. Couldn't have done this without you!**

**Hope you enjoy this, I certainly enjoyed writing it!**

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"I honestly can't believe you, Ronald. Just leave me alone," Hermione spat out her words, entering the empty common room with Ron Weasley following begrudgingly behind. Hermione was currently furious with Ron, who seemed to be attempting not to lose his temper.

"Since when is what I get up to in my spare time any of your business anyway?"

"Perhaps since you invade my usual space in the library, the only place where I can get any privacy whatsoever, and make it your new rendezvous spot with that _bimbo_!" Hermione's appearance grew more flustered by the second. Her hair flew in all directions as she struggled with her pile of books. She sighed again frustratedly. "Just leave me alone."

"No, I won't just leave you alone," yelled Ron, clearly unsettled by her accusation. "I was coming to find you, actually, but Lav followed me. She practically jumped me, Hermione!"

Hermione scoffed. "Oh, poor Ron. Like you didn't enjoy it."

"If you could believe it, I don't actually like her pouncing on me every five seconds," he grunted.

"I don't know how you can put up with her at all."

"Don't you dare judge her." His voice became more and more desperate as he attempted to retort.

"Why are you with her anyway? I mean, it's not as if you actually like her." Ron couldn't help but notice how judgemental and how unlike the Hermione he knew she was being.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning you're only with her because she gave you the option," she held her hand up to stop him from replying. "Don't deny it." Hermione gave a small squeal of annoyance before turning to walk away.

Ron grabbed her wrist, forcing her to look at him. "Stop acting so bloody noble, you don't care about me - Me or Lav.

Her expression was a mixture of annoyance and disbelief. "Don't you dare. I know how this is going to end. Either you're going to break her heart or she's going to break yours. And let me tell you, I won't be here to pick up the pieces." With that, Hermione tore up the stairs towards the girl's dormitory stairs.

Ron's fists clenched with anger as he made his way over to the armchair which was situated in front of the fire. How could she? Who was the one who refused to speak to him? He was sick of Hermione Granger. She always thought she was better than anyone else, didn't she?

"Ron." Harry groaned inwardly as Harry came rushing over. "What happened? Dean told me that you and Hermione had an argument in the library and got kicked out my Madam Pince, is it true?"

Ron had never been more irritated to see his best friend.

"It's Hermione! She's a bloody nightmare."

"Why, what happened?" Harry seemed to be really intent to understand what went on. Ron was only too happy to oblige to tell him his side of the story.

"Well, I actually went in to find Hermione and speak to her, y'know, after she hasn't spoken to me for a while." He paused. "Then, just as I was approaching her, Lavender came running in and practically jumped me! I didn't plan for it, but now Hermione's accusing me of not caring about Lav and everything. She's a bloody menace, I tell you." Harry nodding encouragingly as Ron spoke. Once he'd finished, Harry had to reply.

"Well, to be honest Ron, what do you actually see in her?"

Ron raised him eyebrows angrily at his friend. "Oh, so you aswell, eh?" Before Harry could reply, Ginny came running down the girl's dormitory stairs and sat opposite the two sixth-years.

"Ron, what did you say to her?" Ginny demanded, her voice laced with anger. Ron knew that if he said something wrong, there would be a pretty nasty Bat Bogey Hex with his name on it.

Ron looked taken aback. "Nothing, she's just taking it all the wrong way. _She's _the one accusing _me._"

Ginny tutted. "Have you learnt anything about girls, Ron? You have to be sensitive," she sighed. "Hermione's up there crying her eyes out, y'know."

Ron felt the all too familiar feeling of his heart dropping to his gut. "She is?"

"Yes, she is. Now, when she comes down, I think you owe her an apology."

"But-"

"No 'buts', Ron, she's upset, she needs a friend right now." Harry pointed to himself in a way that looked like 'but I'm her friend?'. Ginny shook her head. "She needs Ron." Ron pondered his thoughts and wondered what she meant by this before spontaneously standing up and tearing off towards the girl's staircase.

Ignoring remarks from Harry and Ginny which sounded like something along the lines of 'It's charmed', he tore up the stairs. Much to his annoyance, the stairs promptly turned into a rather slippery slide - Thanks, Godric - and he came tumbling down. Yelling as he did so, he found himself falling backwards. His heart pounded in his chest furiously as he fell through mid-air and landed with a thud on the stone floor. A sickening crack of his skull could be heard as he collided with the stone.

Ginny and Harry promptly ran to his rescue, as well as a few other Gryffindors who had emerged from their dormitories to see what all the noise was about. Along with these was Hermione, whose eyes were red from crying. She ran to his aid, despite the argument they'd had before. Ron reached his hand to the back of his head before returning it to his eyeline to discover it coated in a thick, crimson substance.

"_Ron_!"

Everything went black.

- RWHG ~ B-N ~ RWHG -

The atmosphere in the hospital wing was tense. Madam Pomfrey was rushing around, frowning at the mass of people surrounding the hospital bed as she did so. After administering various pain-relief potions, she finally found herself able to turn her attentions elsewhere. Surrounding the currently unconcious Ron Weasley's bed were a number of people: Harry, Hermione, Ginny and various Professors.

Unexpectedly, Lavender turned up, yelling Ron's name in a very unattractive fashion, only to be promptly warned of the excessive noise by Professor McGonagall. She hesitantly obliged to subside. No-one expected her to turn up after being shunned by Ron to follow Hermione in the library - but her presence was there, nonetheless.

"How's my Won-Won?" Lavender cooed, much to the annoyance of everyone else in the room.

"Can't you see? He's unconcious!" Hermione retorted shrilly, surprising everyone, including the Professors. "What're you doing here, anyway?"

Lavender's mouth gaped open, making her resemble a repulsive-looking goldfish. "I just so happen to be his _girlfriend_," she spat. "You're one to speak, you haven't spoken to him in weeks. All of a sudden he gets interesting and you come crawling back."

"_Interesting_? He's hurt, you daft bimbo!"

Before Lavender could think up any kind of response, Ron murmured something inaudible.

"You see, he senses my presence," she stated confidently. "I'm here Won-Won, don't worry!" She sang.

Everyone shot Lavender death glares as they listened intently to try and make sense of what Ron was saying. After a minute or so, it became clearer - the unmistakable sound of something along the lines of 'er-my-knee'. Hermione's eyes lit up and filled with salty tears as she moved towards the bed and took his large, limp hand in hers. Lavender began to bawl and rushed from the room, feeling utterly humiliated.

Hermione couldn't quite believe it. He was calling for _her._ Not Lavender, not Ginny, not even Harry - but her. She tried not to show the extent of her happiness in that moment but realised she was obviously unsuccessful as Ginny whispered something to Harry which he visably agreed with.

One by one, people began to leave the room. After a few minutes, only Hermione and Ron were left. She wouldn't leave his side, despite pleas from Madam Pomfrey - she downright refused. Ron hadn't quite regained conciousness yet, but she was sure he was aware of her presence.

"You know, Ronald," she began to whisper, "I didn't really mean anything I said. You know that, don't you?" Hermione paused, waiting for a response that never came. "Anyway, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything." She drew soothing circles on his palm.

Ron groaned; his eyelids flickered. With his eyes still closed, he spoke: "You're a nightmare, Hermione."

Hermione's heart began to beat excessively as she heard his voice. "Ron."

His eyes still half-shut, he shot her his signature dopey grin - the one that made her knees turn to jelly - it was a good job she was already sat down.

_Smack._ Pain seared through Ron's leg as Hermione's fist came into contact with it. "Don't you ever scare me again like that again, Ronald." She looked down at his shocked face and returned his glare with a grin.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I should never have accused you of not caring. Especially since everyone else has blatantly buggered off and you're the only one left." Hermione felt her cheeks flush pink.

"Everyone seemed to think we needed to be alone." Her blush intensified rapidly.

Ron noticed this and flushed a pale crimson colour, himself.

"You were right you know," he stated, elaborating when she looked at him quizzically. "About Lavender, I mean. I barely know anything about her. Every time I try and get to know her, she glues her lips to mine." Hermione did her best to push such mental images to the back of her mind. "I need to get shot of her, to be honest."

Hermione couldn't help but feel unusually happy at his decision. _Calm down_, she told herself, _this is the relief of him being fine making you feel this way._

Ron continued: "Anyway, I've realised that there's someone else." He didn't know whether it was the pain-relief potions or what, but he felt a sudden surge of bravery like he'd never felt before. A part of him was mentally cursing himself for saying it, but a larger part of him took over, where he felt the need to reveal all.

"You have?" Hermione asked, maybe a little too eagerly.

He nodded. "You reckon you could give me a bit of advice?"

Hermione's heart dropped to her gut. He'd never ask _me _for advice if the person he liked was.. well, that didn't matter. "Sure," she replied, trying to conceal the disappointment in her voice.

"Well, there's this girl I've known for six years now, and let me tell you, when I first met her, she was a _complete nightmare_," he began. "Mind you, she still can be. At first, I surprised myself by simply becoming friends with her. You see, she was what Snape liked to call an 'insufferable know-it-all'," he grinned at this assessment.

Hermione's heart rate quickened as he spoke.

"Then, after knowing her for a while, I started to feel differently towards her. I used to smile around her for no particular reason and I'd always find an excuse to argue with her - purely because we communicate best that way. After a while, I lost hope on the idea and pushed all related thoughts away. That was until the Yule Ball, anyway." Ron tried not to look at Hermione as he spoke, but Hermione's tear-filled eyes bored into him, forcing him to make eye contact. "I'd never seen anything more beautiful in my entire life. I spent the whole night watching her dance with an international Quidditch star because I didn't have the guts to ask her first - that's my biggest regret. I knew, after that night, I loved her. I loved her with all my heart and I still do."

Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but Ron held up a hand to stop her. He wasn't finished yet.

"I still regret not asking her to that dance everything single day of my life. Then, over the past few years, I began to notice little things. At first, I didn't think much of them, but now, they're all I think about. I noticed how she bites her lip when she studies and how she is the kindest, most caring person I've ever met. I noticed how her hair transformed from a messy tangle to a sleek set of curls. I noticed the way her mouth forms tiny dimples when she attempts not to laugh. I've noticed all these things because I'm madly and unconditionally in love with her." By now, his face was flushed a deep scarlet - damn the Weasley blush!

By now, fat tears we rapidly falling down Hermione's cheeks.

"So," he sighed, "What's your verdict?"

Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out. Instead, a faint, cracked sob came out instead. She flung herself onto Ron's chest and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"Careful, Hermione," he winced, "I'm in a bit of pain, if you haven't noticed."

She gasped. "Oh Ron, I'm so sorry." She pulled away abruptly, keeping a firm grip on his hand. "That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me." Hermione wiped furiously at her cheeks, but gave up after the tears kept falling. She'd dreamed of this moment since she was twelve years old, and it was finally here. Trying not to sound too desperate, she responded with: "Who ever knew Ron Weasley had such a way with words." She giggled, squeezing his hand.

"Always the tone of surprise," he grinned. He'd hoped for a positive response after all these years. After countless nightmares of her turning him down and laughing in his face, all his prayers had been answered and she understood. "So - friends?"

Hermione's mouth gaped open. "You confess all of that to me and you want to be _friends_?" She couldn't have hid her shock if she'd have tried.

Ron chuckled at her. "Just checking you were definitely alright with me before I suggested anything more."

She scowled at him before shaking her head and laughing along with him.

"So does this mean we're-"

"-Together?"

"Yes."

"Yes."

Ron couldn't hide his excitement anymore, he had to do it now, it was the perfect moment. He'd never seen her look more perfect. Her face was stained with tears and there were faint black circles under her eyes from sodden mascara. He cupped her cheek with his hand and slow pulled her closer. He stopped moving just before coming into contact with her.

"You're beautiful, Hermione," he whispered against her lips, mingling his breath with hers.

Hermione forced her lips against his in a bruising kiss. She savoured the taste of his breath, a tantalazing concoction of chocolate and spearmint toothpaste. Moving their lips with eachothers, they continued for another couple of minutes before pulling apart, almost gasping for breath.

After a few seconds of making sense of reality, Ron groaned inwardly, recieving a suspicious glance from Hermione. "I still have to break up with Lav." Hermione tutted, smiling.

"You better do it soon then," she grinned. He nodded enthusiastically in response before bringing her hand to his lips and planting a gentle kiss on it.

"I really should be going, Ron," she sighed, her heart breaking slightly, "It's past curfew."

He tightened his grip on her hand. "Please, stay."

She bit her lip momentarily before nodding. He scooted over to one side of the bed and ushered Hermione to lie down on the vacant space. "I don't bite."

Happy to oblige, she lay down with her back to him, pressing herself against him. He lazily flung an arm around her fragile frame and pulled her into him tightly. His hot breath clung to her neck as he breathed. Situating his lips near her ear, he whispered: "I love you, Hermione Jean Granger."

Hermione felt like all her Christmasses had come at once. "I love you, too, Ronald Bilius Weasley."

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**A/N2: Aw, don't you just love Romione?:D**

**Anyway, you sure would make my day if you press that massive blue button below and drop me a review? You shall we rewarded with RedVines and a rocketship!**


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